Ad-ware tainting Internet Explorer.

[MoonMan]

First of all let me say that I, myself, am not stupid enough to have this crap on my PC but I am trying to help out a friend.

His family isn't the most intelligent when it comes to computers and I had to reinstall XP Pro for him a few weeks ago. Well it didn't take them long to install something that they don't want to slow down the over all speed and make Internet Explorer annoying as hell to use.

The problem is I am pretty certain they installed some kind of weird adware because he gets an extra amount of pop ups and EVEN ON THE "Cannot find server or page" page, THERE IS AN AD BANNER AND ONE POP UP! Now whatever filth they installed seems to lead to huntbar.com but I can't find it in the 'Add or remove programs' menu and Ad-aware 6.0 couldn't find it either.

I would really like to help my friend out but I just don't know what to do... here is a screen shot of what it looks like.

Any suggestions? (I'm gonna try Spybot soon, when I get the chance.)

[MoonMan]

Ooops, here is a screen shot (thought I posted it before).

[MoonMan]

Here is the top half.

[Ken17625]

Damn..........

Ya, i'd give Spybot a try...........

Let us know how that turns out.

[Wings_of_Azrael]

Damn, that is quite vile. Definetly try SpyBot, but you might also want to try more heavy-duty programs like PestPatrol, or even some anti-trojan and anti-hijacker programs. Still, the most important solution is education. You have to show these people what they are doing wrong, and why it's not wise to install certain things on their computer.

[MoonMan]

I didn't think it would but I was wrong, SPYBOT CLEANED IT! The ad banners and multiple pop ups are gone and it no longer goes to huntbar.com. This has definitally sold me, Spybot is by far the best spyware cleaner around.

I suggest it to anyone who had second thoughts like me (Adaware has really let me down and I used to adore that program).

[phalkon30]

Yeah, this is what spybot says about it

Company: First Cash Reserve, LLC.
Product: Huntbar Toolbar
Threat: Spyware

Company URL: http://www.huntbar.com/
Company product URL: http://www.huntbar.com/Toolbar/Toolbar.asp
Company privacy URL: http://www.huntbar.com/Legal/PrivacyPolicy.asp

Functionality
Search toolbar

Privacy Statement
HUNTBAR'S TOOLBAR SERVICE COLLECTS AND STORES INFORMATION ABOUT THE WEB PAGES YOU VIEW, THE DATA YOU ENTER IN ONLINE FORMS AND SEARCH FIELDS, AND THE PRODUCTS YOU PURCHASE ONLINE WHILE USING THE TOOLBAR SERVICE.
One thing you may want to do, go to the immunize button under the first tab, then install the blocker thing, it blocks many adware browser plugins from even bringing up the install window, no matter how many times you try

[Wings_of_Azrael]

I've been considering uninstalling Adaware for a while now. Since I've had v6, it hasn't found anything that SpyBot didn't catch. And that's usually just a few cookies. I guess spyware isn't much of a threat to me now that I use more caution and have more secure settings than I did a year or so ago when the spyware-paranoia craze started. It's been months and months since the last time I got spyware that was anything more than a malevolent cookie, and I have those blocked now.

[don webb]

I think it may be a good idea to use both. I have seen things Adware caught that spybot didn't and visa versa.......

Good you got it cleared up. Now I have a question....

Won't the privacy settings in IE block these if you enter the particular web address ? "per site"

Thanks in advance...........

[mojo-ris-in]

:devil God I hate thes damn things. Somehow that Xupiter Toolbar crap got on my system. It was doing the same thing that Hotbar does and the pisser is when I went to their uninstall page to purge this I still had problems with resetting the registry. In my honest opinion these asshole companies should have their balls removed. I had enough troubles cleaning this crap so I can imagine the troubles that people with less computer knowledge have.

[phalkon30]

Yeah, a school computer that I work on the website on, had xupiter, spybot didn't have a problem removing it, just allow it to clean on the next boot